Cost of Living Comparison Between Zug and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Zug and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,472 in Zug versus $1,481 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,190 in Zug versus $2,352 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,908 in Zug versus $3,222 in Mexico City.

Living in Zug is roughly 202% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Zug 235% above, Mexico City 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.43 CHF 25.68

$13.16 MX$230

138.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$164 CHF 134

$53.6 MX$938

205.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.87 CHF 15.42

$9.55 MX$167

97.59%

Cappuccino

$6.97 CHF 5.69

$3.72 MX$65.2

87.37%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.93 CHF 4.84

$1.57 MX$27.45

277.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.51 CHF 4.50

$1.16 MX$20.25

375.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.61 CHF 8.67

$3.18 MX$55.8

233.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.50 CHF 6.12

$4.63 MX$81.1

61.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CHF 1.84

$1.71 MX$29.87

31.58%

White Bread (500g)

$4.05 CHF 3.31

$2.62 MX$45.83

54.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.29 CHF 4.32

$1.89 MX$33.08

179.89%

Eggs

$7.89 CHF 6.44

$2.60 MX$45.46

203.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.68 CHF 23.43

$9.91 MX$174

189.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$35.75 CHF 29.21

$8.22 MX$144

334.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$44.93 CHF 36.71

$11.78 MX$206

281.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 CHF 3.03

$3.00 MX$52.5

23.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 CHF 1.71

$1.80 MX$31.52

16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.78 CHF 2.27

$2.07 MX$36.32

34.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.36 CHF 6.02

$1.97 MX$34.45

273.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 CHF 1.88

$2.07 MX$36.29

11.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.52 CHF 2.06

$2.17 MX$38.08

16.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CHF 2.10

$1.40 MX$24.57

83.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 CHF 1.36

$1.07 MX$18.82

56.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.44 CHF 8.53

$4.12 MX$72.1

153.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.15 CHF 14.83

$17.42 MX$305

4.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.15 CHF 3.39

$1.68 MX$29.35

147.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 CHF 3.46

$3.65 MX$63.9

15.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.96 CHF 4.05

$0.38 MX$6.66

1205.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.9 CHF 80.8

$18.71 MX$328

428.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.65 CHF 7.07

$1.33 MX$23.28

550.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.60 CHF 4.57

$0.30 MX$5.31

1766.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$87.0 CHF 71.1

$5.51 MX$96.6

1478.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.79

$1.31 MX$22.87

67.18%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$40.0K CHF 32.6K

$19.2K MX$335.7K

108.43%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$42.4K CHF 34.6K

$23.7K MX$415.9K

78.54%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$289 CHF 236

$41.14 MX$721

603.14%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$68.3 CHF 55.8

$27.74 MX$486

146.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CHF 47.48

$30.13 MX$528

92.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$136 CHF 111

$53.7 MX$941

153.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$32.65 CHF 26.68

$25.98 MX$455

25.67%

Cinema Ticket

$23.59 CHF 19.27

$6.49 MX$114

263.48%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$4,036 CHF 3,298

$437 MX$7,647

824.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K CHF 33.2K

$10.5K MX$183.1K

288.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 CHF 87.1

$58.3 MX$1,022

82.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.2 CHF 44.31

$45.86 MX$803

18.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$154 CHF 126

$101 MX$1,777

52.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$186 CHF 152

$107 MX$1,866

74.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,771 CHF 2,264

$1,005 MX$17.6K

175.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,212 CHF 1,807

$634 MX$11.1K

249.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,701 CHF 5,475

$2,148 MX$37.6K

211.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,892 CHF 3,997

$1,247 MX$21.8K

292.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$31.2K CHF 25.5K

$3,859 MX$67.6K

708.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$21.5K CHF 17.6K

$2,085 MX$36.5K

932.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,558 CHF 6,175

$1,072 MX$18.8K

604.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

11.34

-77.95%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Zug: July 20, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,771 in Zug and $1,005 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zug pays 605% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $164 in Zug vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $702 vs $291 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Zug vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zug and Mexico City differ by about 202% in total monthly costs ($4,472 vs $1,481 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 605% higher in Zug, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,771 in Zug versus $1,005 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 428% less than in Zug. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $4,036 in Zug versus $437 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,481 in Mexico City versus $4,472 in Zug, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Zug. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Zug and Mexico City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 202% less than in Zug. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.